Don't Mess With Blood
by thepurplewriter333
Summary: Pre-series fic. Dean should've known something was wrong when the bruises starting appearing. But then again, it wasn't like he knew Sam was getting bullied. One-shot.


**Whumptober Day 10: Bruises**

 **Hey, so this is my first SPN fic! I've been in the fandom for a while and have written fanfics for other fandoms, but this is my first time doing SPN. And so, I thought, why not do it for Whumptober when I can hurt my little Sammy and even throw in some brotherly feels as a bonus? *wiggling of eyebrows***

* * *

Dean should've known something was wrong when the bruises starting appearing.

At first, Sam had tried to hide them. He'd wear long sleeve shirts, jeans, hoodies, and whenever John would get annoyed enough to tell him to put some shorts on, Sam refused.

Dean didn't think much of it at first.

Chalked it up to Sam being… well… _Sam._ He dismissed the idea of anything being wrong. His brother was fifteen - turning sixteen in just a month - and he could take care of himself.

It was only when John was out on a hunting trip for the following week, leaving Dean on Sam-duty, did Dean finally start to understand what was happening.

Sam usually walked to school, as Dean was mostly working at the garage he'd gotten a part-time job at and John never really had the time to drive him. But today, Dean was off work and he'd taken the liberty of giving Sam a ride.

"Don't get into too much trouble, alright, Sammy?" Dean grinned, sticking his head out of the Impala's window as Sam stood on the other side of the sidewalk.

The teen said nothing, only lowering his head even more. The boy's bangs were nearly covering his eyes and Dean couldn't see his face by now. He only lingered for a few more moments before trudging off, leaving his confused older brother behind.

Dean's smile faded as he watched Sam walk off. Something was obviously up, though he couldn't put his finger on what. As he thought back, he'd realized Sam _had_ been a little out of it for the last few weeks. When had it all started?

He thought for a long moment. It would've been just a few days after they'd moved there for the month, but why, he didn't know.

Dean sighed. Who knew what was up with the kid nowadays? He never talked to Dean as much and was always having another one of his "moody days."

But as Dean drove off from the school and turned onto the main road, still thinking about his little brother, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something more was going on.

* * *

Sam hated this school.

No - he _loathed_ it _._

The teachers, the homework, the food, the people - _everything._ He didn't usually feel so hateful-especially to anything school related- but something had snapped in him.

It was all thanks to Delvin Macintosh: the meanest, most ruthless boy in school. Even though he was only around Sam's age, he was widely known for picking on any new kids who came to the school - which, unfortunately, now meant Sam.

That meant taking his homework, picking on him when no teachers were around, kicking and hitting him which left nasty bruises, and publicly humiliating him every chance he got.

Needless to say… Sam was _not_ pleased.

He'd been to rough schools before. He'd been in fights, dealt with other bullies, been singled out by teachers, but for some reason, this time was different. Delvin, though Sam still hadn't figured out why… _scared him._ Just the thought of fighting the other boy made him feel sick. Delvin was _extremely_ strong and was probably three times as muscular. He could probably snap Sam's neck without even thinking about it.

But it wasn't just that.

Sam was afraid that if he spoke up about the tormenting, Dean would get involved. Not that Dean couldn't handle his own fights, of course. But that he handled them _too_ well. If Dean was found beating up a kid - a minor _-_ he could go to court, which could lead to jail. Now that he was over eighteen, he was no longer immune to the law.

Sure, Dean could be a jerk sometimes, but Sam would never want his older brother to have to go through that.

So, he kept his mouth shut.

"Hey! Pipsqueak!" Delvin's voice called out across the hallway, startling Sam out of his thoughts. "Didn't get time to do the math homework last night, so I guess I'll just have to borrow yours."

Sam gritted his teeth as he watched the other boy saunter over to him. Not many other students were around, having run off to their homeroom classes for the had had to get some things from his locker before going to class, but now he wished he hadn't made that mistake.

"Hey, stupid. You with me?"

Sucking in a breath as Delvin stopped in front of him, Sam narrowed his eyes. He debated over whether commenting on the word "stupid", but then decided not to. "Yeah."

"Then hand it over."

"If you didn't do the homework, then you shouldn't get credit for it." Sam shook his head. "Just leave me alone, Delvin. You can't keep pushing me around like this."

Before Sam could comprehend what was happening next, he was suddenly being slammed against a locker where his head collided against it painfully. Sam held back a cry.

This time, Delvin wasn't joking. "Hand it over. Or this time, you'll be coming home with a lot more than bruises." To make his point, his muscular hand tightened over Sam's arm. Sam could feel the bone being squeezed and knew if Trenton kept this up, he'd break his arm in no time.

"...fine," he finally said, keeping his gaze locked on Delvin's face. "You win."

Delvin smirked. "Good idea, freak _."_

And all Sam could do next was rub his arm as he handed over his homework.

* * *

Dean was so focused on the TV that he barely heard Sam come in through the front door. Mentally, he cursed himself for forgetting to pick him up after school.

 _Your one day off, Dean, and you forget your own brother… what would Dad say?_

Switching the TV off, Dean rose from his chair and turned towards the kitchen where the front door led into. He saw Sam come in, keeping his head ducked low as he slung his backpack over the side of a chair. He didn't seem to realize Dean was there as he slowly inhaled, keeping his hands pressed against the counter to stabilize himself. And then, stiffly sinking down into the wooden chair, he melted forward and buried his head in his arms.

Dean frowned.

Okay, _this_ was not like Sam. The Sam he knew didn't just curl up over nothing; something had to be wrong. But, just like earlier, the answer evaded him. Until Sam talked, he wouldn't have a clue what was going on.

Clearing his throat as he came forward, he smiled as he attempted to cheer his brother up. "Hey! How was school, Sammy?"

Sam jolted upwards, alarmed at Dean's entrance. "Dean! I didn't-"

"Wait - Sam, oh my God!" Dean's eyes widened and his lips parted in surprise as he looked closer at the younger Winchester's face. The color drained from his expression. "Sam-"

"What, Dean? Why are you staring at me like that?" Sam didn't seem to know what his older brother was talking about.

Dean pointed at his face. "Sam, why do you have a black eye?"

A flash of realization, and then the teen suddenly looked like he was trying to think of something to say. "Uh, it was, um- gym class," he said quickly, before nodding like he agreed with the explanation. "We were playing dodgeball and one of the balls hit my eye. But it's nothing. Doesn't even hurt anymore. Really!"

Dean moved forward, getting a very bad feeling in his stomach. "Don't tell me some other kid did this to you."

"Dean-"

"No, Sam!" Dean shook his head in anger. "I want you to tell me the truth. Did someone do this to you?" Oh, yes, now Dean had been turned into protective-older-brother mode. If some _idiot_ had been messing with his younger brother, he was about to learn what pain really felt like…

"Dean. It was dodgeball," Sam repeated, this time more slowly. But also, with less confidence than before. He looked at his older brother carefully before standing up. "Nothing else, okay? Just… leave it alone." With that, he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder before heading to his room down the hallway.

Dean watched Sam with worry as the boy left. Sam was obviously lying. And getting so defensive over Dean's question _meant_ something. He'd snapped something in him.

The older Winchester just hoped he'd be able to figure out what.

* * *

"You didn't tell your family about what happened after school yesterday, right?" Delvin demanded, cornering Sam against the lockers as anger flickered in his eyes. "Because if you did, I think you'd be in for another unfortunate _accident_."

His tone suggested that it would be anything _but_ an accident.

"Don't worry, I didn't," Sam snapped. "My dad's out of town and my older brother… well, he's too busy working." The last part was _mostly_ true. Dean was working again today, and wouldn't be home to talk until after dinner. Besides, the one day Dean was off didn't change what had been going on these past few weeks.

"Good." Delvin backed away, giving Sam some breathing room. However, he wasn't over yet. "Oh, freak, I need your math homework again. I had some stuff going on last night and didn't get to do it. You don't mind, do you?"

Sam wasn't fooled at the pitiful excuse. He knew what that "stuff" was - a party.

The boy sighed and tried to take on a less threatening approach. "Look, Delvin, you should probably start doing it on your own. I'll be out of here next week and you shouldn't be relying on-"

Quick as that, Sam was smacked against the lockers again, same as yesterday. Delvin grabbed Sam's arm and twisted it behind his back in a painful position.

"You really think I rely on _you_? You, the worthless freak? What a sad thought." He paused. "You know what? I'm sick of you back talking. If you were smart enough, you would've done the homework twice. That way you'd stop whining about me taking it." His grip tightened, and this time, Sam couldn't hold back his grunt. "Speak up again, freak, and you're finished."

 _Don't give in. Don't let him win._

"I…"

 _You can't let some bully_ _get the best of you. Not when you've fought real vampires, taken down werewolves, burned ghosts, and so much more._

"You…"

 _You're Sam Winchester, a hunter. You can take him on. Go! Do it!_

But-

"...fine." Sam's shoulders slumped back in defeat. He couldn't believe he had given in. Delvin released him from his grip, jaw jutted outward smugly.

"Wise choice. Lucky I'm so forgiving."

Sam rolled his eyes. And unfortunately, Delvin caught it

"What was that?" he sneered, inching towards Sam again. "I didn't quite catch it. Would you mind _repeating_ yourself?"

Sam only lowered his head and wondered how he thought he could ever stand up to Delvin in the first place. "No," he mumbled.

The bully grinned, yellow teeth shining. "I thought so."

* * *

Having gotten off of work early, Dean decided to pick up Sam as a surprise. Smiling as he drove up to the main entrance, he wondered how the kid's day was. He'd been acting strange yesterday, and the black eye still worried him.

Dean just hoped today had gone better.

Looking up, the sight of a messy-brown haired boy caught his attention. _Sam._

Dean grinned, ready to open up the window to shout out a hello when suddenly he noticed a much bigger boy coming up beside Sam. He seemed much more confident, much more sure of himself than Sam looked. The comparison almost shocked him.

Sam stopped in his tracks, looking up at the other boy with what looked like fear and annoyance. From his body language, it was obvious he didn't like being around him. Dean tensed in his seat.

 _No, just wait for Sam to say something. If things get out of control, you can step in._

Dean relaxed, but only slightly.

The bigger boy was now talking to Sam about something, seeming expectant for his answer. After he'd finished, Sam shook his head. It looked like he was arguing back.

The other boy's confidence faded, and it looked like it was turning into anger. He said something else, this time more demanding. Sam didn't respond at first, leaving Dean to wonder what was going on. Surely his younger brother hadn't gotten himself into too much trouble… right?

Sam looked up and said something else. This time, he looked surer of himself. Dean smiled. The other boy looked surprised, but only momentarily. His hands balled up into fists and he shouted something at Sam.

Now, Dean was getting a little worried. Rolling down his window, he poked his head out to listen to what was going on.

"You're a freak, you know that?" the bully was shouting at Sam. "Think you're better than me, do you? Well, you've got another thing coming!" Suddenly, he raised his fist back.

This time, Dean couldn't stand back and watch. He was opening the car door just as the bigger boy's fist smashed into Sam's face, sending the younger Winchester tumbling to the ground. Dean watched in horror as Sam didn't have time to catch himself before his head cracked against the pavement.

Anger exploded from inside him. "YOU BASTARD!" he yelled as he charged towards the bully. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!"

The boy's anger soon morphed into surprise as Dean marched towards him before he grabbed the kid by his shirt and slammed him against the school wall. Dean was so angry, suddenly he couldn't think straight. All he knew was that this kid had hurt Sam, and he was going to pay. "I'M GONNA RIP YOUR LUNGS OUT, YOU HEAR ME?!"

By now, they'd attracted the attention of the peers around them. All of the students were staring, and the parents and teachers looked like they were about to step in.

"That's my little brother," Dean hissed, glowering at the trembling boy in his grip. He pressed him harder against the wall. "And you don't mess with blood."

"Please!" the boy yelped out. He didn't seem as confident in himself as he had before. In fact, he looked _scared._ "I-I won't mess with him anymore! I'll leave him alone, honest!"

Dean's fists clenched around the boy's collar before he pointed at Sam who was struggling to sit up from the ground. Sam's face was scrunched up in pain as he rubbed his head. This did nothing to calm Dean's anger. If anything, it made it worse. "You _hurt_ my _brother_. You're going to pay for it."

"Sir!" a teacher suddenly called out, marching up to Dean and the bully with demanding eyes. "Release the boy _immediately_ or I'll have you arrested with assaulting a student!"

Dean hesitated. He didn't want his father to come home and have to bail him out of jail, but he didn't want this kid to get away with hurting Sam, either. With reluctance, he made his decision. He slowly released the boy, who gasped for breath as he slid to the ground, cowering away from Dean.

The teacher walked up to him, looking at him reproachfully. "Sir! What were-"

"My brother." Panting, Dean pointed to Sam, who was still sitting on the ground and rubbing his head. "That kid was hurting him, so I stepped in." He nodded. "I don't think he'll be bothering anyone else around here anymore."

The teacher looked skeptical for a moment before she sighed. "He'll be punished accordingly- but, so will you. Go see to your brother. I'll take care of Delvin."

 _Delvin,_ Dean thought with distaste. So that was the idiot's name.

"Dean?"

Dean looked back at Sam, who was now staring at him with confusion.

"What's going on?"

Rushing over to his younger brother on the ground, Dean crouched beside him before giving a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Sam. I took care of it. He won't be messing around with you anymore."

"But... you attacked a student." Sam looked almost scared. "Are you going to jail?" When Dean hesitated, Sam looked like he was about to panic. "See, I knew this was going to happen! I knew that if you stepped in, things would get out of hand and you'd get in tro-"

"I'm not going to jail, Sam," Dean interrupted, shaking his head. "I'll probably just be- I don't know- banned from the school or something. But I'm going to make sure that Delvin kid will be punished too." When Sam still looked uneasy, almost _guilty,_ Dean's expression softened. "Hey, is that why you didn't want to tell me what was going on? So I wouldn't get in trouble?"

Almost feeling like a scared child again, Sam nodded slowly.

As Dean looked closer at his brother, Sam's black eye seemed much more prominent, and he noticed the back of his head was slightly bleeding. _All to keep me out of it,_ Dean realized.

He shook his head. "Let's get you home, alright?" he suggested, offering Sam a hand as he stood up. "You look like you could use a bandage or two."

Sam smiled slightly as he grabbed Dean's hand and stood up. "No, it's- my head just hurts a little."

"Sam-"

"Okay, a lot!" Sam rolled his eyes, looking down at the ground as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hey, uh... Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"...I don't want to go back here." Sam usually didn't like asking for help, but with Dean, it felt different. He'd understand.

And of course, Dean nodded. "It's not like we'd be allowed back here, anyway," he joked. With a grin, he slung his arm around his younger brother and began to guide them both back to the car, making sure Sam was steady on his feet. "And if anything like that ever happens again, Sammy, I want you to let me know," he ordered. "I might be an adult now, but I can always help."

"I know," Sam said, now looking uncomfortable.

"Then the next time someone's picking on you, don't wait to get punched to tell me what's been going on," Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair. Sam swatted him off, but Dean didn't mind. "Because that's what an older brother's for - to protect his younger bro. It's my job."

"Dean, I don't need protecting!" Sam exasperated. "I'm not a kid anymore and-"

"Yeah, yeah, you're fine on your own. I get it." Dean shook his head. "Look, I know Dad's not always around to talk to. And sure, he can be tough at times, but…" He shrugged. "Just don't forget that if you ever need help, I'm here for you too, Sammy."

There was a long pause.

"Thanks, Dean," the teen said quietly. He finally looked up at his older brother, now smiling. "Thanks."

Even if they weren't the perfect family, even though they fought at times, they were still brothers - and that meant trusting each other, no matter what.

And, well... that was good enough for Sam.

* * *

 **I hope I managed to keep Sam and Dean in character (it was a little hard, seeing that it's a pre-series fic) but I really hoped y'all liked it! If you could, tell me what you thought and if anything could be improved.**

 **Please review! :D**


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